CHOCORARI, CACAO TOUR · Dec 14, 11:03 AM

From the cocoa plantation to the hot chocolate cup…

10:30 in the morning, the weather is not good enough  to go to the beach, we are on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and September is supposed to have “a buen clima”, but it is not always like that.So let’s go to “CHOCORARI”, the cocoa plantation of a couple from Switzerland who arrived in Playa Cocles 17 years ago. The weather is  hot and wet , and our tour starts by a visit of the plantation…
First of all, the guide explains to us that the main big problem concerning cocoa in Costa Rica, is a fungus that attacks the pods, whatever their maturity and which makes them absolutely impossible to collect.
Researches are in progress, but 80% of world production of cocoa comes from Africa, and it seems that there is no hurry to find out the way of getting rid of fungus in Costa Rica!!!!
However the cocoa is of originary from South America!

 cacao on tree 

I take pictures; these pods growing directly on the trunks of the cacao-trees are so beautiful!
Indeed, the cacao-tree has the characteristic of bearing its fruits

on its trunk or its branches.


cacao tree 

Our guide opens a mature pod, and we taste the white fruits inside, they are delicious, sour, and a bit sweetened …How people had the idea of making chocolate with that?

open cacao 

When the pods are mature, they are detached from the tree and left on the path to be collected; the seeds will ferment 5 days naturally and then will dry under the sun.They are roasted (as for the coffee), with wood fire, the roasted beans have almost the taste of the black chocolate we are used to and it is absolutely delicious.
But work is not finished yet!
dry cacao

The cocoa seeds are crushed with a heavy stone, then the hardest parts are taken off and the dark paste is extracted by milling the seeds.

It is mixed with sugar and”conché” (mixed with a spatula) in order to remove all acidities and that has almost the taste of the chocolate we know. 

Tasting this hot chocolate paste on a banana, in a plantation close to Puerto Viejo, and then drinking this thick and smoking liquid in small cups is one of these rare and unforgettable moments!

delicious

Obviously, the chocolate we buy in supermarkets in powder, spangle or in bars is not made this way, and it is sad not to know how long is the work to obtain this product when it is done in a traditional way.

The Aztec people knew the “tchocolatl” as the “Gods’ food”

 the cocoa butter was part of the Mayas’ medicine for its healing virtues, and its beans were a currency exchange in all the Central America.

open cacao 


The cocoa shares the history of humanity, its civilizations, conquests and discoveries.
Object of desire, of speculation, guest on the tables of the kings and now available in the best chocolate sellers and supermarkets, it is a product of nature, a magic gift among others!



Bamboo

— Randy Explorer

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